RE5 Values, how much to pay, buy, cost

[wayne]

I get regular enquiries about this. Most people who ask don't know I'm in Australia and can't comment on NZ, UK or US prices. Not a chance I could help with EU.

If you're from those countries and have a finger on the pulse, PM me with your opinion and I'll add to this thread.

AUSTRALIA 2021. EDIT: 2021- it seems COVID has sent prices on just about every hobby related item up. I think you'll need to consider the prices below as absolute minimums now.

EDIT: March 2021: see the third post in this thread about a NZ bike.

$AU.

Members PMCBURNEY and GREGGT have given me their opinion. They are both old bike enthusiasts and pretty familiar with RE5's. GREGGT has done all his buying in the last 2 or 3 years. I've melded their opinions with mine (all were close):

Junker, seized engine, parts only: $500 to $2000.

Unrideable project bike: $3 to 5,000 (meaning it turns over, has compression but needs a lot of work to get it on the road let alone restore).

Running, needs some work, some unoriginal parts: $6 to 10,000.

Tidy, mostly original, not showroom, may need some tuning, minor work for rego: $10 to 13,000.

Tidy, original, ready to ride: $12 to 15,000.

Fully restored or exceptional original. Runs very well: $15 to 18,000. There is an exceptional restoration at a dealers in Blacktown NSW. It's probably the best show bike you'll see in this country, better than new (cover bike for the Message Board calendar that came out a few years back). It's up for $25,000 AU and has been sitting there unsold for years.

NOS- There's an A model, never ridden that appears now and then on Ebay in Australia. The owner, I believe, puts a very high reserve on it and then lets the auction run just to see. Over the years it's passed in progressively from around 17ish, to 20ish and last time I saw it, low 20's.

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Source from Kurt Robertson (FB):

USA 2020

$US.

From a valuation website "Hagertys". Each column in the table below represents a year. But the only one I can confirm is the last column is 2020. I'm not a member so can't access full info.

[rotorious]

EDIT: $US two ends of the market.

This is from 2020 mecum auction.

photos.app.goo.gl/3VXb7nyVTraTnNhr7

photos.app.goo.gl/Xhznz3Fm9GZR1HE97


EDIT: in case the links disappear over time. The first is a tidy looking original 1975 M (incorrectly labelled as a '76) sold for $13,200

The second is a 1976 A (labelled as a '72) sold for $3,025. Looks reasonably original and a little untidy. Only 1 photo of each and too small to make out the real differences.

(Edit: Links work, thanks)

[wayne]

March 2021. Thank you Covid? Depends whether you're buying or selling.........

Prices in Australia and NZ seem to be rising but really?

A friend of mine in NZ who owns at least 3 RE5's and has an extensive Japanese collection did a 4 hour round trip to see this bike. At auction it got has high as $18,600 NZ on photographs only (that's $17300 AU, $13,400 US, 9,600 GBP). He took these pics himself. He knows his vintage Jap and said if he'd bought the bike, he'd be disappointed.

All I can say, if that's $18+, my clean original A must be 30,000 and my NZ friend's NOS Crate bike, sky's the limit!

It also brings home, at least by AU/NZ standards, the bargain TIMPA136's bike was. re5rotary.proboards.com/thread/3058/selling-re5

[wiznorton]

UK prices probably not that strong. I've just paid £5000 for a decent running but rather scruffy A model. A very tidy looking M model on Ebay at a dealer for £12000 has been up for sale for ages. There's one on another website for £7,500 (dealer, 7/10 condition I'd say, been standing non runner) and a very tidy A model in a German dealership for £8000.
Just a quick snapshot of what I can see as GB / European asking prices at the moment.

Interestingly DKW / Hercules W2000 prices are much stronger in USA than UK. Of the rotary bikes, it's really only Nortons that are increasing significantly here, I guess the UK market still doesn't trust anything that spins unless it was made near Birmingham!!!!!!

In the UK classic scene, right now it's two strokes that are going through the roof.

[re5rotary]

That A model doesnt look too bad, nothing a bit of work with some polish wouldnt improve. Interestingly there was a Norton Commander also on Trade Me and it finished about 1/2 hour after this RE5 and there was virtually no interest in it. It only made $14,550 yet I would have thought a Commander would have made more than an RE5 any day regards Terry

[wayne]

I agree Terry, not too bad, bit of work etc and it would look better. But, to me, not $18,600 great. Your opinion really helps this thread. Opinions and more prices or sales are welcomed.

I'd expect a lot more for a 5000 mile bike and that money. Mileage may be genuine but this bike has not been looked after compared to another 5000 miler I'm very familiar with. Chalk and cheese actually.

But that's fine, I'm just having to readjust to the new world of prices. Anyone with an opinion please contribute. The most common thing we get in new Member Applications is "I'm thinking of buying one" so this thread would be very helpful.

[re5rotary]

Of course I sold my 2 restored M bikes for NZ$20k 18months-2years ago, so the price of this one makes them look a bargain. That A was a US import to NZ as well regards Terry